Love Potion Number Nine
by PookieOookie
Summary: Hermione’s the best witch the Wizarding world has ever seen. When assigned to research the Love Potion, she uses herself as an experiment. Malfoy steps into her heart and tangles her into sexual desires only he can create. But is it love or the potion?
1. Renewed Encounters

**Love Potion Number Nine**

**Chapter 1**: Renewed Encounters

Hermione touched her hair gingerly as she made her way through the crowded streets of London for work. She was coming back from her favorite coffee shop, deciding that she had a few minutes to spare before work. The day was cold and wet, and she clenched her spring coat closed as she swung open the door to the Leaky Cauldron. With a silent nod, she greeted Tom, and saw Harry and Ron sitting in the corner drinking from steaming cups. Immediately, Harry's eyes met hers from across the room, he broke into a toothy grin and stood to run over to her. Throwing his arms around her whole body, Harry lifted her from the ground and twirled her. She deeply flushed out of embarrassment and tucked a brown curl behind her ear girlishly.

"Hermione! Where the hell have you been? It's been a year since we've last heard from you!" Ron exclaimed, giving her a tight hug. Harry nodded in agreement to the question.

"I'm so sorry guys. I needed time away, that's all…" she said, staring at her feet. She wanted to run away as soon as she tossed her witches hat in the air for graduation. After graduation, Harry went off to become a Quidditch player, so not only is he a hero to the wizarding world; he was also the best seeker the English team has ever had. Peering into his green eyes, she saw a trace of love. The occasional- What ifs and where would we be- came across her mind. Harry had asked her to come away with him after graduation. That he was in love with her, and that he wanted to be with her forever. Frightened, she gathered her stuff and never talked to Harry again, until now. But that wasn't totally why she had bolted from him.

"We understand Herm. But wow…it's so good to see you again, I've missed you…so much," Harry whispered, holding her hand. Ron coughed loudly and eyed her up and down.

"You look good Hermione! What have you been doing? Working out?" he asked. Harry's eyes suddenly dropped down to her body. To be honest, she had taken up tennis and tai chi to relieve her from stress after graduation. As she twirled for them she grinned. She suddenly gasped and checked her watch.

"Oh bloody hell! I have to go, I'm late for work!" she cried, fixing up her coat and briefcase. Harry's eyes shot up.

"That's right, you work. Where do you work?" he asked.

"Oh, the Charm and Correctional Agency, you know, in that new city area of Diagon Alley. It's rather exciting. My job is to find the right to every wrong curse in Wizarding history. And the business trips are exciting also," she said proudly. Ron gave a huff.

"That sounds like how the ministry used to be," Ron said. Hermione shook her head.

"No. The ministry used to fix the accidents wizards did in front of muggles. I just exercise the theory that every spell and curse casts can be reversed. The ministry was filled with scams and stupid people. Thank god after the defeat, the ministry fell," she said easily. Ron gave her a cold glare and she remembered that Mr. Weasley and Percy used to work there. She apologized, shuffling her feet. Harry gave her a warm smile, and stepped aside so she could continue her way on to Diagon Alley. He asked her if they could walk with her. And she nodded.

Hermione tapped her wand on the bricks to enter Diagon Alley. As soon as the wall melted away, people came flooding out. Harry, Ron and her battled through the crowd, and once in a while Harry was stopped and congratulated on this or that. She wanted to go to work to meet her new colleague. Her boss, Charles Bradley, had told her that she would be getting a partner soon to help her out with the large assignments given to her. She was quickly rising at her job, she was known for her hard work, accuracy, and determination. She was making three hundred thousand galleons a year. She lived comfortably in a pretty flat right in the heart of the New Diagon Alley- city area. She smiled as she looked up at the high-rises and pointed at the building she worked in. Harry nodded and asked her if they would like to have lunch together. She gave him a polite smile and said that twelve thirty would be fine. Ron shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to avoid contact with her eyes. She knew that he was overcome with different feelings toward her. She was becoming a powerful witch, and she had turned her back on her two best friends.

"Please forgive me Ron," she said softly, loud enough for only him to hear. Ron gave her an uneasy smile.

"You hurt us Hermione. We thought about you so much. We sent owls to your parents and they told us you had them swear that they wouldn't give your location to us. We missed you and blamed ourselves for your sudden disappearance. We love you Hermione," Ron said tearfully. She threw her arms around his neck to embrace him. She hugged Harry and entered the building.

Flashing her I.D card, the security guard checked her wand for any dangerous spells that were performed prior to her visit. She was clean and allowed to pass through the lobby. She took the elevator to the sixtieth floor, where her large and tidy office awaited her. As she opened the door, her boss came up from behind her and tapped her shoulder.

"Good morning Hermione. I have a wonderful thing to tell you! Your partner is here, he's waiting for you in my office, so a brief meeting is required in about five minutes," Charles said. He was a tall man, about thirty. His hair was light brown and extremely curly. He always came to work in a crisp white shirt, with crazy ties. Today he was wearing a tie with dancing brooms.

"Okay, I'll be there soon, I just need to put my briefcase up, and check my messages with Macy," she said hurriedly, opening the door. Macy was Hermione's personal secretary. She usually had Hermione's messages jotted down on a parch pad. Macy came whizzing down the hall, Hermione's parch pad in her hand.

"Oh, Miss. Granger, I have your messages right here ma'am, excuse me for my lateness," Macy said looking over the pad.

"How many people called?" Hermione asked, staring at the pad.

"About a hundred ma'am," Macy said.

"That's it?" Hermione asked. She usually got over three hundred messages from professors, artists, doctors, and concerned witches and wizards. This low number surprised her.

"Yes ma'am. But most importantly, a young professor from Amsterdam has stopped by for you. He said that the counter for the Boil burns was successful, and that he'll be sending you your bill immediately for the remedy and blue prints," Macy said with a smile, she leaned in closer, so Charles wouldn't hear. "He also said that dinner with you would be rather uplifting for him,"

Hermione blushed.

She remembered when she traveled to Amsterdam to see the Professor who was having problems curing an outbreak of Boil Burns that were being spread. Silly school kids who were angered by teachers, bullies, and parents decided that boils would be fun to terrify people with. Soon, half the magical people in Amsterdam were suffering from the boils and turned to the famous professor for a cure. However, he did not have a cure to the disgusting plague. So he called for her. She came to Amsterdam immediately to observe several patients, and to test some potions on people. Coming to the conclusion that a counter could be produced, she left Amsterdam to come home and create one. But, the three week stay in Amsterdam with the Professor became a torrid love affair. He gathered her heart and mind in less than two weeks. When she left, she had broken Henry's heart. Telling him that she would come back soon, with the cure and her heart, he reluctantly let her go.

But Hermione didn't keep up her end of the deal. She became wrapped up in work and family, that she didn't return to Amsterdam, but sent the potion via owl, and sent a forbidding letter of sorrow to her lover. He had replied politely, which made her become even more upset. She would have accepted a hateful letter, but a man like Henry, would do nothing of the sort.

"Hermione?" Charles shook her slightly. She came from out of her trance.

"Yes…Macy, find out what hotel he's staying at, and that I want to have dinner with him tonight. Reply to all my other calls, and if it's an emergency, put them straight through to my office," Hermione said walking past Macy with Charles. He led her to the meeting room and opened the door. She gasped at the person leaning back in the chair with his legs crossed and arms behind his head.

Draco Malfoy.

"What the bloody hell is _this?_" She asked angrily. Charles gave her a surprised look and grinned.

"Your partner Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy," he said, lightly pushing her through the door. She plopped herself down in a chair across from Malfoy and glared.

Malfoy had put her through hell for the seven years she attended Hogwarts. He almost killed her in seventh year, when one of his many pranks for Ron and Harry turned into a wand duel. The spell Malfoy used had hit her instead of Ron and had her thrown from out of a window to meet a cold death. She could still feel the window's glass break with her back and the wind blowing her hair and shards of glass cutting her face, arms, and hands. And then she remembered floating up, into Harry's arms where he held her as she cried into his chest.

"Malfoy…" She growled. He looked up at her, his cold silver eyes burning a hole into her. She wanted to tear her eyes from his, but couldn't let him win.

"Draco, this is Hermione Granger, the top researcher here at CCA. She's in need for a partner, so I have hired you. You are assisting her in research, your background work seems magnificent, and I believe that you will make an excellent colleague for Hermione," Charles said with a happy gleam in his eyes. Her eyes went wide at his stare.

"Hopefully she will allow me to be a proper colleague," Draco said, standing to shake Charles's hand. Charles laughed and pumped Draco's hand. She abruptly stood, her eyes still angrily met with Draco's. She only dropped the gaze when Charles opened the meeting room door so she could lead Draco to her office. He would be staying in the same office as her, and she hated it. Charles left them alone when her door closed behind Draco. She pointed to the desk diagonally from hers. The space between their desks was extremely large, but she felt crowded. Malfoy gave her a cold look and sat behind his chair to unload his brief case and duffel bag. He sat pictures, paper weights and little antiques on his desk. He uploaded his computer, which surprised her. Realizing that he could use a computer, she gave a grave laugh at his hypocrisy. He despised anything or anyone that dealt with muggle characteristics. He began to type.

She searched her desk and saw a yellow posted note on her agenda book.

_Miss. Granger, I found Mr. Henry van der Tohn and he is located at the Leaky Cauldron room 216. _

_-Macy_

Her heart fluttered as she picked up her phone to dial the Leaky Cauldron. After the defeat, the Wizarding Committee (the remake of the ministry) decided that muggle phones be used in large areas in Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley. And now that Diagon Alley had an urban area, it became even more necessary.

"Hello Tom, I'm fine, how are you? Lovely…I was wondering if you could connect me to room 216, yes, Mr.van der Tohn," she said. Malfoy's eyes left his screen to stare at her. He had an eyebrow raised.

"Hello Henry," she said tearfully. She turned in her chair so the back was facing him. "I've missed you so much; I never wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't come back. I was so busy Henry, I was…I swear it. Dinner tonight would be amazing. I'm at work, yes things have been fine. To tell you the truth I saw them today, at the Leaky Cauldron. It was so unexpected, I was hugged and greeted. They were so concerned for me…I almost cried, just because they loved me, and it was somewhat reassuring. I think I want to be in their lives again, I mean, I was there for them for seven years," She whispered into the phone. Realizing that Malfoy had started typing again, she made for an attempt to be intimate.

"I think…I think we might have something…if we just _worked_ at it, I think we could have a very promising relationship…Henry? Yes, I know I was abrupt, no; I'd never do it again. Why? _Because I love you," _Hermione said closing her eyes. She could not believe that slipped from her mouth. She only knew him for a few weeks, this scared her. There was silence on the phone, and silence in the room, Malfoy had stopped typing, and was now listening, but she didn't care.

"Well, I like you too Hermione," Henry said over the phone.

She knew it wouldn't last.

"Okay Henry, I'll see you at dinner, I'll come by and pick you up," she hung up the phone, her hand lingered over the receiver. And then she leaned back in her chair and exhaled a long awaited breath. She turned to stare at Malfoy's face. He was staring directly back at her.

"What the bloody hell do you want Malfoy?" She snarled. The corners of his lips slightly curled.

"Nothing Granger, and your little boyfriend wants nothing to do with your bushy head or body too," he said laughingly. Her face scrunched up and she banged her fist on her desk.

"That's enough of your silly bullshit!" She bellowed. "If we're working together, you will _not_ talk to me as you please Malfoy! Never will I give you so much freedom," She turned to see that Malfoy had totally ignored her and was silently humming to himself and typing. She turned to her own computer and started it. The monitor blinked awake, asking her for her password. She typed it in and her work opened before her eyes. She started to read over blue prints for a recent curse.

Hermione's phone blinked and she pressed the line one button.

"Miss Granger? I'm sorry to disturb you ma'am, but you have a visitor," it was Macy.

"Who is it?"

"Ma'am…it's…the famous Harry Potter…" Macy whispered eagerly. Hermione sighed.

"Lead him to my office immediately, he's here to take me to lunch," she hung up the phone and straightened her clothing. Harry popped up at her door with an overly excited Macy. Her blonde head appeared behind Harry and she smiled and closed the door when he had entered. Harry stared at her for a long time until-

"Hello Potter,"

Harry turned to see Draco leaning back in his chair. Harry scowled.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Harry asked, glaring at Draco. Draco shrugged.

"Granger here fancies me; she sought out for me so I can become her partner _and_ lover," Draco said smoothly. She jumped up to protest, but Harry stopped her.

"Don't Hermione…I know it's a lie," Harry said, he took her hand in his and led her to the door.

"Right Potty…tame your girlfriend," Draco shouted.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Hermione exclaimed, blushing. Harry shot her a hurt expression.

"Well Harry, you're not…" she whispered. Draco gave a loud laugh and waved her out of the room.


	2. Fight Fire with Fire

**Love Potion Number Nine**

**Chapter Two:** Fight Fire with Fire

(Hey People. Please read and review. Mini "love" scene coming up :- )! Thank you!)

* * *

"So, what have you been up to?" Harry asked, smiling over the rim of his wine glass. Hermione grimaced. She noticed that it was only one in the afternoon and Harry decided to drink wine while eating a simple salad, whereas she stuck to a nice cool glass of lemonade. Harry's smile slightly wavered. 

"Well, when I graduated from Hogwarts, I got many job offerings. People wanted me to become a writer for the Daily Prophet, a spy, a nurse," she laughed easily. "But then there was this one job…at the CCA, and a handsome man kept bugging me about the job, popping up at my parent's house, popping up when I went shopping, leaving long messages on my phone. Then, when I decided to have an interview with him, I fell in love with the work. The salary is amazing too, more than I need, really," she smiled and fiddled with the tomato on her plate. Harry gave her a dazzling smile.

"That's wonderful Herm," he said.

"What did you do after graduation?"

"I became a Quidditch player. I didn't have to do try outs, the English team knew they wanted me, actually, all the Quidditch teams wanted me, and they were all equally good teams. So, in the end, I just took the job that offered the most money, not that I even need that…" Harry said. She remembered that Harry was an extremely wealthy wizard, and that working was not a must in his life.

"But I guess I just wanted to be among people and not live like I was some damn king," he finished.

"Where do you live?" She asked.

"Well, I live right outside of Urban Diagon Alley. In a nice house, with a balcony, what I've always wanted. Five bedrooms, three baths…I have visitors over all the time, just to fill in the rooms. Molly and Arthur practically live there, since…their house fell," Harry said sadly. She gasped.

"When did this happen?" She asked eagerly.

"They were always having problems, since Arthur was put out of work, the whole family had to find jobs to keep the mortgage paid, and one day, before the Wizarding Committee came to scoop up straying Death Eater, they set the Weasley's home on fire. It was horrible. I happened to be there, and I rounded up the death eaters. They almost killed Ginny…we found her floating in a nearby stream, she was so messed up, and Ron was burnt severely, Molly also, and Arthur, he was tortured almost to the brink of insanity. Now of days he might space out, or have violent tantrums because of the affect the curse had on him," Harry said gravely. She wept and wiped the tears from her face as their meal came towards them.

"So, they're staying with you," It wasn't a question, "What happened to Ginny? She was just found there?" She cringed, knowing what the answer might be.

"She swore that nothing happened, just some tormenting and beating. But God Hermione…when we found her, her eyes were opened wide, and she had a horrible look, like she was waiting for death," Harry said.

"My God, how awful, hopefully she's better now?"

"Oh yes, she's living with me, just finished up at Hogwarts and needed a place to stay," Harry said happily. He seemed to not mine the people that dropped in and out of his house.

"Is you house far from here?" she asked, taking a sip from her soup.

"Um, no, not really, would you like to see it?" Harry asked, checking his watch. "No one is home though,"

"It's okay, I have almost an hour to get back to work, and well, I want to catch up with you," she said, smiling. Harry nodded.

"Well, when you left, I was so surprised Hermione, I thought you hated me, when I asked you to come with me Herm, I didn't mean to scare you," Harry said, reaching to touch the top of her hand lightly. She smiled sadly and held his hand.

"I'm sorry I left like that," she said. She would never tell him the real reason why she had gone.

After lunch they walked down the crowded and noisy streets of Diagon Alley. Harry held her hand and she leaned up against him. People stared at them, realizing that the famous Harry Potter was walking with the smartest witch known to wizarding kind. As they walked further, she realized the sudden change in environment. The streets became quieter, and houses had appeared. It was like a mini suburb.

"Blimey, Harry…your house is beautiful," she exclaimed, walking around in his living room. The carpets were scarlet, with golden plush couches and armchairs. He had pictures of them as children hanging on his walls, and on his mantel. She felt warm and loved in his house, like her presence had always been here, even though it was her first visit.

She flopped on the armchair and sighed, making noises to display her comfort.

"Oh Harry, this couch is making my back feel amazing," she purred.

"I know, it massages your back," he said quietly. She looked up to see him staring at her. She gave him a lopsided grin and he was on top of her.

"Harry, oh gods, what are you doing…" she gasped. Harry was slipping his tongue in her mouth.

"Do you want me to stop?" he mumbled.

"No…No…" she whispered, falling to the floor to sit on top of him. She unbuttoned her suit jacket and hiked up her navy blue pleated skirt. Harry had his hands resting on her hips and she moved wildly on top of him. He pulled her face down to his and slid his hands under her white shirt and bra to place them over her breasts.

"Harry, oh bloody hell, Harry…" Hermione cried out as Harry lightly squeezed her breasts. She had tears running down her face from pure pleasure. Harry turned her onto her back and began to pull down her knickers. In doing so, he pulled down his own pants and started to kiss her fully on the mouth.

"No! No…stop…we can't…we can't Harry…" Hermione yelped. Harry flinched and moved away from her.

"Why not?" he asked hurt.

"It's not right! I can't make love to a person I don't love…" she said hurriedly. Harry gaped at her from across the floor; his green eyes wide with shock.

"You don't love me?"

"Harry, I do, just not like that, I'm so sorry but I can't do it. I can't have sex with you. It feels so wrong," she trembled. Harry stood and buttoned his pants, and she started to fix her shirt and pull back on her knickers.

"Harry…" she started, but Harry put up his hand.

"Don't. I understand, you're not ready, I can wait," he said. She began to protest but he had pulled her into a tight hug. "I know you're confused, so am I. I know that we'll grow to love one another,"

"Harry…" she wept. He wouldn't understand her. He thinks that she's afraid to have a relationship with him, when she just wants to be his friend.

* * *

She entered her office feeling slow and harassed. Malfoy gave her a sickly smile as she sat behind her desk. She picked up her phone and pressed the answer machine button. Henry's voice came from the phone. 

_"Hermione, I can't wait to see you. I'm sorry about my attitude from earlier. Your secretary has told me to send you your fee by dropping by, so I will be at your office at four. I love you."_

The message beeped. She sighed and her stomach fluttered as her eye darted to the large clock sitting on a desk near the door. It read 2:40pm.

"When are you going to lunch Malfoy?" Hermione asked through gritted teeth. Malfoy gave her the same smile.

"I already ate Granger, when you left here with Potty," he sneered.

"Grow up!" she snapped, wiping the smile from his face. "If you're going to work with me, we have to come to some agreement, okay?"

"Fine," he said willingly. He stood to walk over to her desk and perched his rear on it. She looked up at him angrily but he cut her off. She huffed out of anger, this was the second time someone had stopped her from speaking today.

"Listen Granger, I know I've been an ass to you for seven years, but since we're grown adults, and working together, I'll be civil to you, if you're civil to me…" he said sinisterly. She took in his appearance- his tall muscular frame, to his cold silver eyes, to his long blonde hair that hung to his ears childishly. She shivered when his eyes burned into hers.

"Deal, but if I hear you call me a mudblood, or some other filthy word I'll have you reported, and you'll be fired," she threatened. He laughed and stood from her desk, dropping her paper weights in the process, staring deeply at her. He came around her desk and turned her to him in her chair.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing to the side of her neck. She jumped at his cold touch. He tapped the spot repeatedly as she rambled in her desk drawer for a small mirror. Pulling one out, she stared at the red spot on her neck. A hickey!

"Fucking hell!" she screamed, dropping the mirror. Malfoy caught it before it fell to the floor.

"Looks like you and Potter had fun at lunch…were you his main course?" he said laughing mirthlessly. She rubbed at the mark on her neck and whimpered. Her mind began to race at what Henry might think.

"Oh gods, how am I going to get rid of this?" she cried. Malfoy sighed, rolling his eyes and lifted her chin so his eyes locked with hers. Placing his long, cold pale fingers around her neck a soft glow emitted from his hand. He inspected her neck and nodded.

"There Granger, a simple concealing charm, you of all people should know about them…" he said smirking. He still had his hand around her throat; she was staring into his eyes blankly.

"You're one hell of a woman Granger," he said, letting go of her roughly, starting to walk towards his desk. She yelled out and gripped her neck, to stop the pain that shot up her neck.

"Bastard!" she spat. Malfoy turned on his heel.

"Granger, did you already forget our deal?" he asked innocently.

"You almost took off my neck!" she bitched. Malfoy coyly batted his eyes.

"I thought I was being gentle…I mean, you did shiver under my touch," he said arrogantly. Hermione tossed her stapler in his direction and he dodged it, giving her a wild look.

"What the bloody hell Granger! That could have hit my head!"

"I don't care!" her hand dropped from her neck and stood to pick up her fallen paper weights.

"Prick…" she mumbled.

"You've always had a filthy little mouth Granger. You should stop that, just gives me more reasons to call you a mud—" he started but a rough knock came from the door. She shot Malfoy a dirty look.

"Come in!" she said sweetly. The door opened and Henry stood framed in the doorway. He was tall, with golden blonde hair. His sexy well trimmed beard looked scratchy but was incredibly soft, and his muscular body gave off an air of pure strength, but must of all, it was his crystal blue eyes that made her fall onto her knees and plead for pleasure.

"Henry—you're early…" She gasped. He walked into the room and sat in the chair in front of her desk.

"I couldn't wait. I needed to see you now," he said, his accent thick, curling his words. He slipped her a folded rectangular paper. She took it and opened it. Eyes shooting up she closed the paper once more and shook her head violently.

"I'm _not _taking this from you," She said with disbelief.

"You worked for a month Hermione, and cured a whole city, you deserve it," he said.

"One million galleons is a lot Henry. What will I do with such money?"

"Buy a house, get some new clothes, do anything you want," he said airily. He searched the room, and his gaze landed on Draco's half interested stare.

"Hullo, I'm Henry van der Tohn, what a pleasure to meet you," he said, standing to shake Malfoy's hand. Malfoy gave him an uninterested look and shook his hand halfheartedly.

"Yes, I know who you are; you're that famous researcher from Amsterdam," Draco said pumping the man's arm.

"Yes, I am, and you are?"

"Draco Malfoy, Miss. Granger's new partner," Draco replied. She gave him a pained expression, pleading with him that he's careful with his words.

"Oh, lovely, so you should know how dear Hermione works. Tell me boy, isn't she a doll?" Henry asked, grinning at Malfoy.

"Of course she is," he said, giving a strained chuckle. He sat back behind his desk and ignored him.

"Anyways love, what are you up to? You look sick...tired and stirred up," Henry said gently, taking a seat again.

"I've had a…very exciting day," she stammered. Henry laughed again and blew her a kiss. She blushed and returned the gesture. She could hear Malfoy snort.

"So, when do you get out of here?" Henry asked.

"I usually leave the office at eleven, but I guess I'll be leaving at six, I have a lot of work to do…" she lied. To be honest, she'd done all her work that was suppose to be turned in two weeks from now, she even had to ask herself why she showed up to work every day.

"Hermione dearest…" Henry begged. She raised an eyebrow at his pleading face and sighed.

"I'll need to go home and change Henry, I promise I'll come by as soon as I'm done and pick you up, okay?" she asked, giving him a sympathetic look. He nodded and stood to leave.

"I'll see you tonight then, love," Henry said shutting the door behind him. She picked up the check to stare at it once more and squealed in delight.

* * *

Six o' clock came and she felt extremely sick and tired. She had to sit and reread over five hundred pages of ingredients. Her face was pale and sweaty, and her eyes were sore. She stood wobbling to feet and collided into the desk. 

"What's wrong with you Granger?" Draco asked, staring at her. He was wearing reading glasses, and flipping through a small black book.

"Must be…extremely exhausted from reading," she said weakly. She tripped and fell onto the floor. Malfoy stood his ground and watched her pick herself up.

"Where are you going?" he asked, putting down his book.

"I'm going home of course, so I can be with my boyfriend," she said triumphantly. She grabbed her spring coat and purse and dragged herself to the door. Malfoy turned off his computer and also grabbed his coat.

"C'mon Granger, I'll take you home," Malfoy said, taking hold of her elbow. She jerked her arm from him but leaned against him.

"I don't know what's come over me…I'm usually energetic after reading a five hundred page book in less than two hours," she said chuckling. Malfoy carried her outside into the hall, locking the office door behind them. He pulled her up and led her to the elevator. When they left the building, Malfoy held her firmly to him as they made their way down the darkening streets of Diagon Alley.

"Where do you live?" Malfoy asked in her ear. She pointed to a tall high-rise.

"You sure do know how to live large Granger," he drawled, leading her towards the building.

She leaned up against her door that read room 50A. The hallway was wide and furnished with chairs, tables, paintings and thick red carpet. She dug in her coat pocket for her keys and slid a single golden key into the lock. The door swung open and she stumbled forward. Her apartment was large, consisting of two stories, spiral stairs led to her second floor where her bedrooms were. But her living room, dining room and kitchen sparkled with love and care. She went down a hallway past her kitchen to a bathroom and slammed the door. Malfoy shrugged and hung his coat on the peg near her door.

"I can make something to make you feel better Granger!" Malfoy called from the living room. He started a fire in the fireplace with his wand. He walked past the dining room, climbed three steps and entered her eat in kitchen. He went over to her fridge and opened it.

"Why are you still here?" she asked, coming from out of the bathroom. She was dressed in a robe and her eyes were droopy and her throat rusty. His eyes fell down to the opening where the curves of her breasts showed. "Malfoy?"

"I said I could help you feel better. It seems that you've become ill due to a stress related issue. It happens a lot. I can make you a potion that'll make you feel all better before you go scoop up Prince Charming," he said, his eyes averted from her face.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked cautiously.

"Granger, you were stumbling around in our office. I did not want to feel responsible if you were harmed on your way home," Malfoy said frankly. She grimaced.

"Meh, like you would care. But if you want to help me, the ingredients to anything you're making are upstairs in my lab, so follow me, but if I fall, promise not to let me," she asked jokingly, but Malfoy nodded seriously.

She led him up her spiral stairs and into the second floor. She turned and stumbled into a room. Malfoy grabbed her about the waist to stop her from falling.

"Uh, thanks," she muttered, stepping away from him. She flicked on lights and a bright lit room came into focus. Malfoy's eyes went round as he took in the room. She dragged herself towards a cabinet and opened it, taking down a small cauldron, breakers, and stirring spoon. She sighed heavily and fell backwards onto her butt as Malfoy stepped towards the supplies.

"Stop falling your arse all over the place Granger, stay still," Malfoy growled, upset. His eyes wandered over her body as she sat up straighter, unaware of his gaze.

"Malfoy, this is my house, I'll do whatever the hell I want to do," she replied. He started to open her cabinets, finding out quickly that her ingredients were alphabetized. He mixed, stirred and tasted the potion he had created within seconds. Finally, he slipped in a handful of cinnamon and poured a glass into a beaker and handed it to her.

"You're not trying to poison me, are you?" she asked, her mouth smiling around the rim of the beaker.

"Now Granger, why would I do that?" Malfoy asked smugly, crossing his arms over his chest. She swallowed up the contents in one gulp. Rocking back and forth, she fell onto her back.

"What…why am I so tired?" she asked, dropping the beaker at her side.

"Don't worry mudblood, it'll pass," Malfoy's voice echoed. Her eyes sight left her, and so did her mind.

"Draco…?" she whispered, terrified, she slipped into darkness.

* * *

She awoke with a start, and immediately she felt alert. Her eyes fell onto the clock in her lab. She was on the floor and her lab coat was thrown on top of her. The clock ticked away as it notified her that it was six forty-three. She tossed the coat from off of her and searched the room for Malfoy. He was sitting in one of her armchairs, reading a large blue binder that held notes from her old assignments. 

"Why are you still here? What the fuck did you do to me?" She asked her voice cracking. He gave her an amused look and closed her book.

"Granger, I gave you a simple pepper up potion and you fainted on me. I must have added too much cinnamon," Malfoy said, shrugging. "I had to see if you'd come out of it," he said.

"Get out of my house you filthy bastard!" she screamed, standing to her feet and pushing him from off the chair and into the hall. "You tried to kill me! Don't try to lie about it! You knew that a pepper up potion could go bad if you added too much ingredients! Why? Why would you try to kill me?" Hermione asked, pushing him down the stairs. Malfoy turned and grabbed her wrists and pulled her violently in front of him on the stairs. She easily flew and clung to him in order to keep her balance.

"How dare you accuse me of trying to kill you. I'll leave your home, but heed me mudblood…if I ever hear you bring this night up again, I _will_ kill you," Malfoy yelled in her face. She bowed her head to hide her fearful tears. When she looked up finally, she gave him a disgusted look and spat in his face.

"Real attractive Granger," Malfoy said, letting go of her. She followed him down the stairs as he grabbed his coat from the peg and opened the door. She held the door for him, and he grabbed her about the waist and pulled her to him.

"You're not so bad Granger," Malfoy said softly. She froze under his touch. He released her and grinned and left her home, slamming the door behind him.

"Oh god…" she whimpered. She had to admit, she felt better, but the near death experience, again, by the hands of Malfoy shook her. Her mind raced at what he meant by "not being so bad".

Putting the horrid thoughts aside, she ran to her room to dress quickly, knowing that Henry would be waiting.

* * *

Thank you for reading. Please review!

-Amber


	3. When Assholes Cry

**

* * *

Love Potion Number Nine**

**Chapter Three:** When Assholes Cry

(A/N: Please read and Review. I hope you're enjoying it. Thank you, those that reviewed.)

* * *

When Hogwarts had ended, Draco Malfoy was left with two decisions: one, live with his widowed mother who was slipping in and out of consciousness from antidepressant pills or two: move out, and take his part of money his father had left him. In the end Draco had decided to leave his mother to the little fortune he had left her with, vowing to her that when she is dead he will come back and take the manor. His mother had gratefully agreed, glad that her son would be out of her hair, because he looked like his father, and it killed her emotionally.

Harry Potter was Draco's worse enemy, since the beginning of his years at Hogwarts he had hated the untidy boy, his red haired weasel, and his bushy-haired girlfriend Granger.

But he always had something for the bushy-haired one.

It would have been during fourth year, at the Yule Ball, when he noticed her breathtaking beauty. The periwinkle dress clung to her in important places, and her body was straighter, with the relief of that heavy book bag. He had stared at her in awe, the image of her playing over and over in his mind, until he was (with guilt) masturbating to the image. But he was a silly boy of fourteen.

It wasn't until seventh year, when Granger had bloomed into a magnificent angel. Her body was curvy, and her skin milky smooth. He had with joy brushed against her one day on his way to Potions with her. He touched the skin that was poking from under her robe sleeve, and he had fallen in love with the sensation of touching her. Her eyes locked with his for a second when he had touched her, and she had looked away just as fast, when Potter came to her side. He had taken her hand and pulled her off to class, saying that Snape was threatening Longbottom again.

Draco wanted her. He needed the fallen angel. It was towards the end of the year, when the need became known to his peers.

**Flashback**

Draco moved down the hall with his posse. His two fat body guards stood on both side of him as Pansy, her group of girls, and his small gang stood behind him. They were heading towards the Great Hall when Granger had come scurrying past them, her arms filled with books from the library. Her face was beautifully flushed as Potter came rushing after her.

"Hermione, I'm sorry, c'mon, let me help you—" Harry said impatiently.

"Fuck you Harry Potter…_fuck you!"_ Hermione cried, walking down the hall. She entered the hall where the largest window in the school was. It took up the entire side of the corridor, right next to a stairway that led to the Great Hall.

"Hermione? Where have you been, bloody hell, what are you doing with all those books in your hands? C'mon let me help you," Ron Weasley had come from the Great Hall, obviously waiting for Granger and Potter to meet him. Hermione stopped in front of the large window and threw down her books.

"I WILL NOT BE USED ANYMORE!" she screamed. Draco and his gang turned around to see the girl scream.

"Let's take this stairway, seems like there's going to be a brawl…" Pansy had whispered. Draco nodded in agreement and slowly led his gang towards the trio.

"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Ron turned the color of spoiled milk.

"Harry's been touch—" she started but she couldn't finish, Harry had taken her about the shoulders and pulled her to face him.

"DON'T, don't be melodramatic Hermione!" he bellowed in her face. Hermione pushed him off and faced Ron.

"He's been touching me Ron, snogging, if you want to call it that. I was okay with it, until he started trying to shag me," she said, her eyes were wild with anger.

"Harry, why? Why have you been doing this to Hermione? You insufferable arse, she's your best friend!" Ron asked his eyebrows furrowed with anger.

"I told her I was sorry, and we didn't have to do that anymore. Ron, Hermione's my girlfriend," Harry admitted, tearing his eyes from Ron's shocked face. Draco took in a sharp breath, an unknowing pain seeped into him.

"What, how long has this been going on?" Ron asked a painful look on his face.

"Since the end of fifth year," Harry confirmed. Hermione closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. Draco's posse had stopped in the shadows to watch the fight unfurl.

"Why haven't you told me?" Ron questioned them his voice shook.

"Harry thought you fancied me. But Ron, I swear, there were days when I wanted to tell you…always I thought about it…" she reassured him. Ron huffed.

"Hermione, I'm sorry, I'll never force you to anything you never wanted me to do," Harry whispered.

"What did he do to you?" Ron asked quietly, his eyes darted to Hermione's pale face, glowing eerily in the moonlight that was pouring into the hall through the large window.

"We were in the library, and I was looking for book to study for N.E.W.Ts, and Harry grabbed me from behind. I knew it was him, and that he was being playful, but it got too out of hand. What started out as playful snogging turned into me being pinned down on the floor by him, hidden so deep in the library that no one heard me struggling. The magnificent Harry Potter tried to screw his girlfriend against her will!" Hermione yelled. Harry hung his head in shame, but was rocked back when Ron jumped up and punched Harry in the face. Harry growled and lunged after Ron. They tumbled onto the floor, fighting with each other, until Hermione cried out in fear when she heard the sound of flesh being split open.

"Stop it! Stop it! What's done is done, and I forgive Harry. Stop fighting, we're supposed to be friends…dear god…what happened to us?" she asked. Harry hopped back from Ron. Ron had a cut above his eyes and Harry had a busted lip, along with a bleeding nose.

"There is no trust, Hermione! You guys went out with each other behind my back…thinking I was too immature to comprehend, well fuck both of you!" Ron whispered fiercely, dabbing at the cut with the sleeve of his robe.

Hermione fell to her knees and cried. Her hands covered her face and her body jerked with tremors. Ron and Harry quickly went to her side, telling her that it was okay, and they didn't mean it. Harry embraced her and kissed her temple, whispering his sorry, Ron along with him.

"Well, Potty, Weasel and Gay Ranger," Draco said walking towards them his gang behind him chuckled. Draco's breath caught in his chest as Hermione lifted her swollen light brown eyes to his. The skin under her eyes shown with tears and the sexy smearing of wet mascara.

"What's wrong mudblood? Afraid to open your legs to sex starved Potty?" Pansy asked in a high pitched voice, she giggled. Hermione continued to stare at Draco. Her eyes were swallowing him, and he felt himself drawing into her. He walked towards the trio, and drew his wand, pointing directly at Hermione.

"Stop it mudblood," Draco whispered. She still gave him the unblinking stare and Draco shot her with a spell.

She fell against Harry, clenching her chest in pain. Harry placed his hand over hers and immediately recoiled. She was burning up; he had hit her with a dark spell that would severely burn her. Harry quickly removed her robe, exposing her short school skirt, sweater and Gryffindor tie. Draco's eyes wandered down her lengthy body.

"I'll kill you," Ron said, jumping up and pulling out his wand. Harry had pulled Hermione up, relieving her of the burning pain by casting a cooling charm, but she'd still have to go to the infirmary.

"Do it then Weasel, I'd like to see it," Draco snarled. His gang laughed. Draco had his wand steady on Ron.

"Your little pranks aren't funny Malfoy, standing in the shadows and watching us is disturbing!" Hermione bellowed from behind Ron. Her eyes were still wide. He was feeling bothered by her stare, like she could see right through him, and it was scaring him. Malfoy sent a powerful hex towards them. The jet black light hurtled towards Ron and he jumped from out of the way. The spell hit Hermione squarely in the stomach and sent her flying back to smash into the large window. It was like everything was in slow motion. Hermione let out a terrifying scream and fell backwards, her arms flying out to her side. Draco screamed, running towards her falling body.

"HERMIONE! NO!" He cried. He saw her body speeding towards the ground and pointed his wand. It was dark outside, and he prayed that his spell would hit her and not the ground. He sent a levitating spell in the direction of her screaming. And slowly, she began to come up. He could see that she was unconscious; she probably passed out on her way down. She was bleeding all over her precious face, her legs were cut, and all the way up her short skirt and her fingertips were bloody. But worst of all, she had a bloody circle of blood in the middle of her stomach. Guilt flooded Draco as he saw the image of his fallen angel. Harry pushed past him, giving him a disbelieving look, and clung to Hermione's fragile unmoving body. He backed into his gang, who gave him a disgusted look.

"You…saved the mudblood?" Pansy asked snidely. Draco nodded and turned to them.

"I'm not going to Azkaban for unclean blood," he whispered. But everyone knew. Everyone knew how he felt, except Hermione who laid unconscious in Harry's arms, slowly bleeding to death. He turned around to observe Potter's wailing about how she was dying. Ron had bolted down the hall, in search for a professor. Her pale face shown with blood, and Draco felt his stomach lurch. He closed his eyes and softly cursed himself for his actions. Hermione's unconscious body looked small and fragile, and tears slid down her bloody face. Pansy sweetly pulled on his sleeve.

"C'mon, let's get out of here, I'm hungry," she said, leading the gang down the stairs and hesitantly, he followed.

**End Flashback**

Draco was coming back from Hermione's apartment, feeling guilty for trying to harm her when she needed help. He still had feelings for her.

When he decided that it was time to find a job, and stop splurging his wealth, he found out that there was an opening at one of the best facilities the Wizarding World had. CCA. Eagerly he went to fill out the application, and he celebrated when they called him on his new muggle phone, and told him that he was hired. His new boss had told him that his assistant was the famous Hermione Granger. And Draco almost did back flips.

* * *

He lived in a large three story apartment outside of Diagon Alley, so he drove to work. His father, thankfully, had taught him how to use the muggle tool before he died. He didn't need to live in such lavish estates, knowing that it was him and the occasional whore that occupied it. The last woman he had was Ginny Weasley. He had bumped into her on his way to the robe shop. She had grown into a pretty young woman over the summer. She was only 17, and he 18. He had taken her to his quarters and treated her like a queen. The poor girl had no idea what she had gotten herself in. She had left his home in the wee hours of the night and never called him, so he forgot about her.

**Flashback**

Draco grabbed her about the hips and tossed her onto her bed. She sprung up and clung to him by the shoulders. He moved to pull her off but she jumped back on to him.

"Stop it Weasley, get off me," Malfoy said angrily. She shook her head wildly and rocked her pelvis against his. He angrily pulled away from her. He knew he shouldn't have given her the liquor, but something else was in her, some other type of drug that was making her wild.

"C'mon…fuck me…c'mon Draco, you know you want to, it's amazing, I promise you that," Ginny said, throwing back her head and spreading her legs. Draco sighed and grabbed her knees violently, spreading them even wider. Ginny whined in pain but smiled. He knew her knickers lay forgotten on the floor, so he pulled down his boxers to his ankles, and jammed himself into her. He didn't wait for her to adjust, he moved in and out of her with force, making her scream in pain. But, as hard as he pushed into her, her screams turned to laughter. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He always envisioned a more romantic way of having sex. Not this forced angry sex. He also had to remember that she wasn't the one he wanted. He just couldn't put a bag over her head and think "Hermione". And for some reason, he felt violated by this. He felt useless and dirty for having sex like this. He immediately pulled from out of her, choking back unwanted tears, and pulled up his pants and boxers. She protested and claimed that he had to finish, or she'd do it by herself. She started to finger herself in front of him, making him want to vomit. He walked over to her and slapped her. She stopped and stared at him in disbelief.

"Go to sleep, now, and don't ever do that again," Draco spat. Ginny angrily fell onto her back, dozing off into an uncomfortable rest.

**End Flashback**

* * *

Now that he was 19 and he was starting to feel the bite society was inflicting on him, he realized that's it time to be a grown-up. He opened the door to his apartment and dropped his keys on the small table next to the door. Kicking off his shoes, he moved to check the messages that were on his phone. One was from his mother, who sounded lucid. He continued to listen, until he heard a familiar voice.

_"Malfoy…I'm calling you to remind you that files for Professor Edwin's case must be put on my desk on Monday, if it's not there, I'll have to report you to Bradley, you're new, which means you have to work extra hard…if you need any help, you know my number."_

It was Hermione's hurried voice filling in the emptiness of his sitting room. She must have left it before she went with Henry.

Draco turned off the machine and closed his eyes. He remembered the large work he had brought home, paperwork that had to be filled out and reread.

He went into his kitchen, wondering where his house elf was, and pulled out a bottle of club soda, and opening it, the contents bubbled. He stared at them with a perplex expression. He felt like he should be out there, watching Hermione with Henry, figuring out how things worked with her.

Downing his soda he grabbed his coat and went back to Hermione's.

* * *

Henry pushed her against her wall. She had picked him up from the Leaky Cauldron, and he begged that she take him to her place. He kissed her fully on the mouth, and then trailed tiny kisses down her neck to the low cut edge of her shirt. He used his knee to slightly spread apart her legs, putting her in an awkward position. She stopped him and went into the kitchen laughing.

"We should go to this new restaurant in London, Henry, it's fabulous." She said as she filled two glass wines with brandy, Henry had other things on his mind then dinner.

He stood behind her, totally naked.

"Henry…" Hermione said bashfully blushing.

"Hermione, I've waited so long. And with work, and my family, it's so hard to spend time with you, do not deny me tonight," Henry said. Hermione stiffened when he said "family".

"You…have a family?" Hermione asked casually. Henry nodded solemnly.

"Yes, two kids, seven and nineteen," Henry answered. Hermione stepped back into the kitchen sink. She dropped the wine glasses.

"Henry, you're only twenty-three…" Hermione whispered. Henry shook his head.

"I'm not, love. I'm forty six. I just look twenty-three." Henry confirmed. Hermione gasped.

"You lied to me! You're forty six! But you look so young…your child is the same age as me, you're old enough to be my father!" Hermione cried.

"Hermione, do not judge me, and as for the age thing, Three words love- fountain of youth,"

"A myth!" she screamed.

"It is true Hermione. There IS a fountain of youth, and I have stumbled across it, fourteen years ago with my wife," he said.

"YOU'RE MARRIED?" Hermione screamed. Henry nodded.

Hermione ran pass him. She picked up his clothes and pulled out her wand. Opening the door she was met by Malfoy's bewildered eyes.

"You!" she painfully screamed in his face. She tossed the clothes to his chest. He dropped them to the floor immediately after seeing Henry's naked body dash into the hall to retrieve them.

"I never want to see you again, tell your fucking wife and kids I said hi!" Hermione yelled and slapped the door.

She leaned against the door, gasping for breath. She fought back the tears, but they came freely. She felt disgusting, useless and upset. There was pounding at the door, and she turned to place her ear to her door. It was Malfoy.

"Hermione, open up…we need to talk!" He said with concern.

"NO! I don't need your bullshit tonight Malfoy! Not TONIGHT!" she screamed through the door. Malfoy was quiet. Then she heard foot walk away from her door. She blindly walked to her couch and threw herself onto it. Curling up into a ball she cried into the corner of the couch, realizing that her tiny world was crumbling. Her phone began to ring, and she pulled herself up, reaching over the arm on the coach to pick up her phone.

"Hello, Granger residence," she said coolly.

"Well hello Hermione, I have some amazing news to tell you." It was Charles Bradley.

"What is it Charles?" she asked, excitement replacing her pain.

"You and Malfoy have been given an assignment, a complex one…one that will shine light on you if this curse is lifted. There is a place in Greece, Athens, where a tiny witch has been brewing potions and selling them to young men and women. The love potion, Hermione…if you find a cure for this…I will promote you. You will be CEO of CCA within an hour when this is broken," he said excitedly, his voice breathless.

"And Malfoy, what will become of him?" Hermione asked.

"He'll be your puppet, you can maneuver him all you want, and I don't care. But prepare yourself for a trip to Greece. Tell Malfoy, he'll be attending you on the trip," he continued.

"But Charles, Malfoy—" she started but Charles shushed her.

"Hermione, celebrate. I know your brilliant mind will solve this problem. I have faith in you. See you on Monday, you will be leaving on Wednesday," he finished. The line went dead; his excitement had boiled over. She bit her bottom lip; her house was suddenly quiet, with the occasional crackle of her fire. Her body shook when she saw the expression on Malfoy's face, that hopeful, loving stare. It sent tremors down her body when she thought about it. His stare made her feel vulnerable; it was almost unbearable to think of.

She felt the attraction that so many girls whispered about at Hogwarts, concerning his stare.

* * *

Draco left her apartment building, feeling upset. He found Henry outside smoking a cigarette, his shirt unbutton revealing his pale chest. Draco felt ill when he saw the man shake back his hair and smile sweetly at a young girl that passed him. He raised his hand to signal a taxi after his smoke.

Draco's mind began to race. He felt angered by her abrupt hatred for him at the door. Could she not see that his heart was in the right place? He stuck a piece of gum in his mouth, and chewed angrily. He also signaled for a taxi, which came up to him. As he got into the taxi, his mind led him to the angry fire that lit Hermione's eyes. He could not make her like him, and he could not like someone who disliked him greatly. He would have to let her go. He would have to forget the desires he had for her.

He'd have to forget Hermione, and remember Granger.

* * *

Please Read and Review! I know my chapters are long. I'll make them shorter in the future. Thank you for reviewing my other chapters. I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed the story.


	4. Athens, Greece

**Love Potion Number Nine**

**Chapter 4: Athens, Greece**

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**THE "&&&&&" are used to separate the text.**

To anyone that was reading this story two years, I'm sorry that I stopped writing it. I had a lot of problems going on at the time, and couldn't focus on it. This chapter turned out to be 11 pages long. I know that's large but it's much deserved/needed. To catch you all up on the story:

-The Wizarding World has been reconstructed after the war to replicate the muggle world

-Hermione works for a famous corporation

-Harry is a Quidditch player

-Ron's profession is unknown

-Draco is Hermione's new colleague at the corp.

-They've both been assigned to solve the Love Potion.

-There are sexual and emotional tensions between Hermione, Draco and Harry.

**&&&&&**

Hermione nervously chewed the inside of her mouth, her sunglasses propped on top of her head, against her sloppy ponytail. Her blue spaghetti tank top stuck to her skin as the central air of the five star hotel kicked in. She sighed, a long nasal sigh, and glared at the concierge.

"You're telling me, that the man who booked this room, only booked _one room?_" she hissed. Her whole body shook with anger.

"Madame, that is what I am saying," the man said his accent thick. Hermione's face warmed as the man surveyed her heavily breathing form. "You will have to share," he glanced at Draco, "with this young man."

Hermione threw her hands up, and brought her face close to the concierge, who did not back down from her challenge. "Listen, Mr.," she read his name tag, "Pu-oh-Lu-Monos" she sounded out. "This man and I, we aren't shagging, we aren't friends, hell! We're hardly even colleagues...I can't possibly share a room with this man, simply because of those reasons! BLOODY HELL!" Hermione's sunglasses fell off of her head, landing on the concierge's agenda. He picked them up in between his thumb and index finger, as if it was a diseased tissue, and handed them to Hermione. She snatched them from him, her body emitting strange noises now. "EVER HEARD OF DOLCE? GODS!" she shouted. Draco found this the appropriate time to step in.

"We're sorry sir, but does the room have at least another bed in it?" Draco asked, trying to sound composed, and not embarrassed by Hermione's rudeness.

"Yes, as I tried explaining to your friend here, it is a room with two double beds! It's equipped for _two_ people along with office space and supplies!" he said exhaustingly.

"We'll take it then, please, the keys! And someone to help us with our luggage," Draco said, slipping the man 20 euro. The concierge nodded, eagerly taking the money from Draco's grasp.

"Thank you sir, Joseph!" the concierge snapped at a smaller young boy. The boy jumped up and went over to the front desk and glanced up at Draco and Hermione.

"Our luggage is there," Hermione said, pointing to several suitcases piled on top of each other. The boy's face fell, having seen the amount of baggage. The concierge growled.

"Please aid them Joseph!"

The young boy went to work, as Draco placed his hand in the small of her back, and pushed her forward. Hermione turned around and glared at Draco. "Don't touch me!" she snapped. Several people had turned to stare at them, whispering in Greek. "What are you all staring at?" Hermione rounded on the men and women walking pass her, all in their custom-made suits and shoes. Some gasped as they saw this small woman snap at them.

"Granger," Draco growled. She made it to the elevator, where the people on the inside caught her seething anger and quickly exited the elevator. She exhaled when the doors of the elevator shut. "What's wrong with you? First, you didn't talk before we apparated here, and now you're acting as if you're intoxicated...not in your right mind! You just humiliated yourself in front of all those people!" Draco bellowed. Hermione froze.

"Fuck you!" she suddenly screeched. "Fuck you, Malfoy! I never wanted you on this trip with me, I never wanted you to be here, or near me!" she cried, hitting his chest. "Seven years Malfoy!" she hissed, "_seven years!"_

"Is that what this is all about?" he asked, grabbing her about the shoulders, "some childish grudge from Hogwarts?" he shook her.

"A childish grudge that nearly killed me! I-I-I-know that you're nothing but a real git, who's trying to ruin my career!" she was shaking now. The elevator had come to a stop, and the doors opened to expose a lavish hallway. She exited the elevator, and waited for Draco to point in which direction the room was. He glanced at her in disbelief as she impatiently waited, then he glanced down at the thin plastic card in his hand.

"Room 9..." he said, looking at the doors. The room was on the far side of the hallway. "Good, so no one will hardly hear your bantering..." he muttered, watching her twitch. "Come off it Granger, we're here to work! Stop acting like a child."

"You shut your mouth! I'm _your_ boss! I can do as I please!" she shouted, waiting for him to slide the card in the door's slot. When he got it to work, the door flew open to reveal a large sitting area, and off in the distance was the kitchen. Two doors obviously led to the bedroom and the office. "How many bathrooms are in this place?" Hermione asked, her shoulders stooping dramatically.

"Just one."

"BLOODY FUCK!" she swore, entering the room.

**&&&&&**

"Hi! Yes, may I please speak with Harry Potter?" there was a pause. "What do you mean he's _busy?_ Well tell him Hermione _fucking_ Granger is on the phone!" Hermione had been sitting on the balcony outside, having decided that this was her favorite place in the room. She was able to avoid Malfoy, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Greek Island. "HE SAID WHAT? HE'S _WHAT?_ No...I know...HE'S NOT MY BLASTED BOYFRIEND!" she cried into the phone. Harry's secretary was almost as slow as Malfoy's cronies, she thought wildly. The woman slowed her words now, as if believing that was Hermione's problem.

"Miss. Granger, Mr. Potter is getting a _massage_ right now by a very famous masseuse from France! Please respect his wishes and call back later..."

"But did you tell him I called!"

"I will...it's written down here, but he asked not to be bothered by _any callers_, and I'm afraid that includes _you_."

"RUBBISH!" Hermione screamed, slamming the phone down onto its base. She was again, seething with anger, despite her having taken a cool shower and antidepressant pills. She was a wreck. She didn't think that after four days from breaking it off with Henry, her whole attitude would shift. She felt alone and betrayed. She didn't want to wake up and realize that she had been fooled into shagging a man who had been shagged three hundred times over in his golden age, with two kids and a wife to prove it. He was old enough to apply for senior citizenship, she thought moodily. She hadn't allowed herself a good cry yet, knowing that she didn't need to add more human characteristics to her well worked out cold demeanor. Instead she fell back into the squashy chair she was sitting in, and watched as the sun settled. She felt a bristle behind her, and realized that Malfoy was standing there.

"Are you hungry, I could fix you something," he said, his voice soft and inviting. Hermione turned to stare at him and gasped. He was dripping wet from having taken a shower, his hair hung about his eyes and his chest gleamed magnificently from the water. He had his boxers on, and didn't seem to care what affect he was having on her. She immediately bit her lower lip. _Bugger,_ she thought.

"Yes, that would be lovely," was all she could manage. He stepped onto the balcony, walking to the edge and leaning on the stone banister.

"It's beautiful here," he started. "As a kid, I never traveled with my parents. We never did much of anything, unless you considered aiding the Dark Lord to his attempted victory a family vacation..." Hermione's face grew cold as he mentioned Voldemort. "I never liked the git...he...took so many things away from my family...like vacations, like, my father's life...my life...my mums. I guess you can say that's why I joined Potter in the end, to get all that back...what about you?" Hermione knew that Malfoy was trying to make small talk, but he was being so intimate about his family life, that she felt the need to also open up.

"I went on a lot of vacations with my parents while they were alive. Every summer we had somewhere to go. It would be Brazil, France, Africa, the USA...we used to go everywhere." She took a shuddering breath and continued, "When I was captured, they tortured me into telling them where Harry was. I was probably locked away for weeks, but when I came out; I found out that my parents were dead." Hermione closed her eyes against threatening tears. "I-I-n-never...said goodbye...I was told that...that they died without any pain, it was quick."

Hermione suddenly unfolded her legs and exited the balcony. Draco quietly followed her. She fell in the hall, sliding down the wall to land on her bum. The tears that wanted to come earlier because of Henry, was triggered again by the thought of her parents. She couldn't stop the tears now, her body began to shake, and she started sobbing, as if it was a new sound coming from her body. The tears fell quickly, and she tried to get rid of them before Draco came towards her. He squatted before her, and lifted her into his arms.

"Please...please, leave me alone."

"Stop it, just come here," he wrapped his arms around her body, hugging her against his damp chest.

She cried into it, wanting to muffle the foreign noise coming from her. Her mouth opened slightly against his chest, and she felt him shudder against her. She lifted her face and gave him a piercing stare. Her face shone with her tears, and Draco shuddered again as he admired the wideness of her eyes, and the dark of her pupils. He leaned forward, and kissed her cheeks, placing the tip of his tongue on the trail of her tears. She gasped, and allowed for her eyelids to flutter closed. He began to plant light kisses down her cheek, to the crook of her neck, where he began to suck gently on the skin there. She could smell the masculine shampoo he had used, and the scent went straight to her loins. Groaning, she slipped her fingers in his damp hair. He then removed his hands from around her body, and slipped them in the opening of her bathrobe. She cried out when his cold fingers touched her bare skin. He was still nibbling at her skin, and massaging her body under his hands. He slipped his hand up her back, and unsnapped her strapless bra. It fell into her lap, exposing her ample bosom. Draco removed his place from her neck, and began kissing her breasts and sucking on the rosy tips.

"_Fuck..._" she whined, removing her hands from his hair and placing them on both sides of her body, giving her leverage so she wouldn't slide backwards onto her back. "Malfoy..._fuck," _she continued to mutter. He then laid her onto her back in the hallway, ready to have his way with her, when he peered down at her stomach. Immediately he removed himself from her breasts, and scooted away from her, staring down at her flat tummy. "MALFOY!" she cried out in anger. "Why'd you stop? I mean...thank the Gods you stopped...I mean..._what happened?" _She started covering herself with her robe.

"That scar."

"Yes..." she started, "you gave it to me." The scar on her stomach was thin, and circular. She usually used concealing charms to hide it, but she had forgotten. He sat back quietly, and raked a hand through his hair.

"Fuck Granger...I didn't know, I mean I forgot!" he stuttered. Hermione gave him a quizzical look.

"You forgot you tried to kill me?" she asked from across the hall.

"I DIDN'T TRY TO KILL YOU! I WAS TRYING TO HURT WEASLEY!"

"And _that_ makes _perfect_ sense!" she asked, standing from where she was sitting.

"I'll go make that dinner..." he said angrily. He got to his feet and went into their room. Hermione tied her robe closed, and picked up her bra, tucking it under her arm. When Draco came out, he was wearing khaki shorts and a gray t-shirt. She liked him fully clothed, she thought smugly, entering the room after he left it, and slammed the door behind her.

**&&&&&**

"Hi. Madame Rochelle?" Hermione had pulled off her sunglasses upon entering the small shack. Draco stood behind her warily, clenching his wand.

"My dear girl!" she cried, her French accent curling her words. Hermione would never have guessed why a French woman would find refuge on a small island, when she could be living it up in Italy, or something.

"What can I help you with?" she asked. Her eyes were a dull purple, and her face was worn down by wrinkles. She was just how Charles described her, incredibly tiny, and freakish.

"Yes, I was hoping that I may purchase a love potion?" she asked politely. The woman's eyes narrowed immediately, but Hermione was too experienced in the fields of concocting to have flinched at the older woman's movement.

"Why would you need a potion, when the young man behind you is so very in love with you, already?" she asked, sweeping Draco a long look. Draco stiffened behind Hermione, who, startled, turned around and gave him a surprised look. "It's practically radiating off of him." Draco glared at the older woman. Hermione turned back around, her heart beating a little faster.

"I'm sorry Madame, but we're not for each other...I don't love him. I love someone else."

"Well, a pity for you then, young man!" the older woman chirped. She stood from her stool and moved over to a small chest behind her. She pulled it open, and about 100 small pink vials.

"Are they all the same?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, yes...every potion I sell, if made in a bunch, is always the same, don't worry deary," the woman said, pulling out one of the vials. "Here, and sign your name there." She handed Hermione the vial and grinned, slipping a long scroll of parchment in front of her. As soon as Hermione signed her full name, the parchment glowed pink. "That'll be fifty euro." Her eyes went wide when Hermione pulled out 100 euro, and slipped it in the hands of the older woman with a grim smile.

"Keep the change," she smiled. "What's this parchment for?"

"Anyone who buys my love potion, makes a binding contract to me, so I can keep up with who purchases it, if anything were to ever happen..." she whispered. Hermione nodded, turned around quickly, and walked away. Draco jumped back to allow her to leave, and gave the French gypsy one last look.

"She's ready to be taken; you just have to _prove_ yourself." Draco scowled, and turned away from her, following Hermione. Hermione was outside the small shack, speaking into her blackberry cell phone. She was speaking to the squad agency for CCA.

"Please be gentle with her, she's an old woman. Anything suspicious you find should be sent immediately to my office, and waited on. I need you to also give me the scroll of parchment she keeps in the chest with her love potion.

Suddenly clothed official-looking men appeared out of nowhere, and entered the small shack. The older woman was pulled out of her shack in handcuffs, and she threw Hermione a betrayed look.

"CURSE YOU!" she hissed. "CURSE YOU AND THAT FOOLISH BOY BEHIND YOU!" Hermione jumped at the woman's harsh tone, and turned to Draco, who was also shaken by the tiny woman.

"Well, I suppose I should be afraid now," Draco said grimly. "The Malfoy line doesn't do well under curses."

"Ah," Hermione said thoughtfully, looking up at Draco. She thought of all the curses she had placed on Malfoy at Hogwarts. She then chirped, "_That_ would explain _a lot!_"

**&&&&&**

That evening Hermione sat at her desk, contemplating what to do with the Potion. She needed to break the spell, and she had well over two thousand people to save from the enchantment. She had their names, and also (provided by the CCA) the addresses of the victims. She wrote out the ingredients needed to create the potion, and she had written out counters for each ingredient. She couldn't wrap her finger around what was missing. She had read text upon texts about people who swore they were close to solving the potion's enslavement. There was a knock at the door, and Hermione turned around to see Draco standing in the doorway.

"I made dinner. I wanted to know if you wanted to join me."

Hermione laughed. She wouldn't have thought in a million years that she would be agreeing to spend time dining with Draco "Lucifer" (his real middle name being Lucius) Malfoy. She stopped laughing and nodded politely, keeping a small smile evident on her thick lips. "That would be lovely, thank you. I need to take a break from all this, after all."

He led her into the lavish kitchen, which had a small, round table in the middle of it. The table was of black marble, which reflected her image in the light. She smiled down at herself as she took a seat, Draco sliding her under the table. She raised a brow at his established table manners. He walked over to the counter and brought over a lovely smelling meatloaf littered with asparaguses, carrots and peppers, a plate of sauce, and salad, and corn.

"It's not much, I know," Draco commented, sitting in his own seat across Hermione. "I didn't have a lot of time, and I know that you must've been hungry." She giggled and waved a hand.

"Are you kidding? This is amazing, Malfoy. I didn't know you could cook so well!" Hermione exclaimed, eyeing the bottle of red wine Draco had conjured. It was icy looking. She always liked her wine icy cold. He poured her a glass, and handed it to her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Granger," Draco said slowly. Hermione missed a blink, but covered it up with a smile, taking a sip from her wine.

"Well, why don't you tell me where you learned how to cook?"

"The house elves," Draco said, pouring his own glass.

"Oh?" Hermione whispered in surprise.

"Yes, when my father died, I was left with the house. I didn't want to be completely useless over the summer, so I asked the head house elf Libby to teach me how to cook, clean, do laundry. It was completely unlike me, but it kept me busy. I had people come by all the time…Pansy, Blaise, some distant cousins, even Crabbe and Goyle. I guess I felt like I needed to keep myself sane after losing the two most important people in my life. My mum's not dead though, but she's completely gone. She's a shell, and I haven't seen her since she was admitted."

"I know the feeling. I took up defense classes after my parent's death, only after staying locked away in my room for about a week. You know, Harry and Ron…they don't even know about my parents death. When they wrote to my house, I responded to their letters."

Draco surveyed her with shocked eyes. "Why would you do a thing like that?" he asked.

"They couldn't possibly understand the hurt I was going through. And I didn't want them to either." Draco nodded.

"I can see that. Weasley kept his family, and Potter never really had a family, did he?"

"He had the Weasley's…hell, he had me too, and we all became his beloved," Hermione muttered. "I just recently started talking to them again actually. After graduation, I sort of disappeared. I buried my parents, took over legal status of their business, their monies. I became head of what my parents had built for nearly forty years under five minutes," she whispered sadly. She smiled, taking a bite from her salad. Draco looked at his own plate in silence after hearing Hermione's confession.

"So, how long did it take you to get the job at CCA?" she asked suddenly. Draco looked up from his plate.

"Um, about a week…I applied, and I got the call about a week later."

"Did you know I would be working there?"

"I only knew that when I got there. I was a bit surprised actually. I thought you had run off with Potter or Weasley, gotten married, had about five kids depending on which dolt you ran off with," Draco said quietly, his lips curling up into a sneer. Hermione's cheeks grew red.

"I did no running off to! I stayed where I was, and was offered a job by Charles about a month out of Hogwarts. I did some good work at the CCA, and got an early promotion." Hermione laughed. "But I'm sure if I had run off with Harry or Ron, I would be a terribly unhappy stay-at-home mom!"

"At the tender age of 19, to boot…" he added.

"Yes! How horrible," she giggled, watching Draco with interest as he poured her another cup of wine.

"...not to mention, your children would have came out horrible looking, all with Weasley's red hair, or Potter's horrible slouch about the shoulders," Draco said boldly. He was shocked when Hermione responded with a heap of chuckles. Draco laughed. He liked it very much when Hermione laughed. She tossed her light brown curls out of her face and watched him under dark lashes. The dinner passed quickly, and Hermione found herself curled onto her side on a rug in front of a roaring fire as Draco sat across from her against an armchair. She had another glass of wine in her hands, and Draco had the whole bottle in his. It kept refilling itself, and he would take a swig from it from time to time.

In other words, they were stinking drunk.

Hermione smiled at him, and hiccupped, thinking back to the question that had made her laugh earlier.

"Malfoy, early you mentioned my future kids, I want to know what these future children of mine will look like?" she slurred, with bouts of laughter. Draco rolled his eyes dramatically.

"They'll look like _you_, obviously!" he replied. Hermione shook her head.

"Yes, yes, and who else?" she asked eagerly. Draco gave her the most serious look and said,

"Me."

Immediately Hermione giggled, rolling onto her back, and laughed at the ceiling. "Yes, me…our daughter will be the carbon copy of me…silver hair, silver eyes, pale skin that would glow in the moonlight. She'll be the aristocrat she was born to be!"

"Who said it'll be a girl?" Hermione asked.

"I want it to be!"

"You want me to give birth to a baby girl? You're rather demanding, Mr. Malfoy!" Hermione said playfully. Draco had moved towards her, lifting her into his arms, holding her closely.

"I want a bunch of girls…always have. I used to wish my mum would give me a little sister. But she couldn't have anymore kids after me."

"Mmm," Hermione purred, Draco was stroking her hair, "about three girls, two boys."

"Yes, that'll be good, Granger." He released another roar of laughter, and leaned forward to kiss her mouth upside down. She was caught off guard, and the bottle that Draco had been drinking from spilled beside him, wetting his expensive looking jeans. Hermione reached up to caress his cheek, as the made hurried kissing noises against each other's lips. Draco was the first to pull away from the kiss, jumping up only to pick her up in his arms. He held her to his chest as if she weighed less than a cat, and carried her to the bedroom. They kissed the way there.

He dropped her on the bed and attacked her neck, leaving behind wet trails. Hermione moaned as she gripped his hair with her fingers. He was quickly working on unzipping the small skirt she had chosen to wear tonight. He removed it successful and smiled down at the boxer-typed pink underwear she had worn.

"Very macho," he said huskily, moving to the small shirt she was wearing. He slid his hand up her shirt, and squeezed her breasts and she groaned into his mouth. "I like it when you laugh," he whispered, unclasping her bra, "I like it when you make these noises." He placed his thumb on her clothed clit and rubbed it carefully, making her hike her hips up into the touch. She was literally screaming in pleasure as he continued the assault.

When the phone rang

A small part in the back of Hermione's mind woke up, and through her slurring and swearing, she pushed Draco off of her, and ran to the phone.

"Hello?" she answered with a shaking voice.

"Hermione?" It was Harry.

"Oh God, Harry…thank God you called. I've been worried sick as of late, not having talked to you," she said sweetly. She turned to see that Draco was leaving the room sulkily. He had a horribly large stiffy as he walked out of the room, and mumbled something about a cold shower. She quietly chastised herself.

"Hermione, I really need to see you. I'm sorry about my secretary, and I want to talk about what happened at my house."

Hermione vaguely remembered what happened. Some obscured kisses? Squeezes? She didn't care.

"I'm in Greece Harry, that's impossible. Plus, I have a lot of work to do."

"I understand…but we could catch a quick dinner? I can apparate there?"

"Of course, but we'll have to do this next week, it's just my workload is very large."

"That would be great. I'm very familiar with Greece."

"Are you now?" she asked, listening to the shower running across the hall.

"Yes, I am. I played a lot of games against the Greek team," Harry said proudly. Hermione could give a rat's ass, but she realized how much this interested Harry, and kept quiet.

"How's Malfoy?" he asked suddenly. It made Hermione pause on the phone, taking a seat in the chair next to the telephone table. She forgot that she was only in her knickers as she crossed her legs with a thoughtful look crossing her face. The pause grew, and Harry cleared his throat.

"He's just horrible, Harry," she finally said. But instead of her tone being angry, it was breathy and lustful. Harry, however, didn't take note of it.

"That bastard, he's rotten, and dangerous. Try and stay clear away from him Hermione. He's bad."

"I know Harry; I know…I'm just upset right now. I really want to solve this case and come home."

"You will Hermione, I know it. You're a beautifully smart woman, you'll do it."

Harry's words of comfort settled deeply in Hermione's stomach. She admired his airy behavior and almost childlike sweetness. It was wooingly sappy. But she had to admit, she didn't mind it much.

"How's Ron?" she asked.

"He's bloody brilliant, actually. Didn't you hear? Ron finally proposed to Parvati. About time, don't you think? I reckon they're having a small ceremony in Pakistan, and then a large wedding here in Britain. Of course we're participating in the wedding." He laughed. "I'll see if you have to wear a tux, too. Okay?"

Hermione giggled and was shocked by the news. She always knew Ron had a thing for Parvati, but she always thought it was just lust. Parvati was exotic, with dark black hair and long inky black eyelashes. She made men swoon, but it was her purplish-blue eyes that hypnotized, and branded men, and some women. But she was wrong, Ron really loves her.

"That's amazing. I wouldn't mind wearing a tux," she laughed again, but stopped when Draco had entered the room, clad in only a towel. "When's the wedding?"

"I don't know, Parvati's mother is planning it, you know how it is. And Mrs. Weasley is just insane over planning the wedding here, you know? So the job is equally split. Hopefully soon, though."

"Yeah," Hermione breathed. She looked over her shoulder to see Draco drying off with a simple drying spell. He had his back facing her, and she could see a bit of his arse poking from over the towel as his grip loosened.

"When are you going to settle down, eh?"

"What?" Hermione snapped. "No time soon! I'm not ready for marriage, Harry. And I'm not ready for the children, and the home, and the headaches.

"But you're almost twenty. Doesn't it bother you that you're not married?" Harry asked.

"No."

"But you have to get married; you need someone to take care of you." His tone was simple.

"I didn't think you were so old-fashioned Harry," she said darkly.

"Don't say that, I'm not and you know it!"

"I _don't_ know anything at all about your evident issues with the female role in society!" she snapped. "Just that they exist, and you're pissing me off!"

"I'm just looking after you!" he growled.

"DON'T LOOK AFTER ME DAMN IT!" she screamed. "I KNOW MY STANDINGS HARRY! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!"

"YOU DO! JUST LOOK AT YOU NOW!" he shot back.

"FUCK YOU!" she slammed the phone down and it exploded in flames. She doubled over, breathing deeply into her folded legs. She heard Draco leave the room, and she looked up to see the door close. She then looked behind her and saw that he had pulled off his bed's blanket, and a couple of pillows were missing.

She sighed deeply and stood from her seat, picking up her discarded clothes and slipped under her covers for a much needed sleep.

**&&&&&**

THANK YOU! The story has been out of date for two years, and I have come back to it, with full force. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Any confusion gathered will be cleared up soon, okay? Please review!


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